Well-boring apparatus



T. P. SHEAN.

WELL BORING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT .26, 1917.

Patented Aug. 3, 1920.

OFFICE.

THOMAS P. SHEAN, or CHICAGO, Immers- WELL-BORING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 3, 1920.

Application filed Dotober 26, 1917. Serial No. 198,560.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, THoMAsP. SnnAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State oi? Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Well-Boring Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. 1

The present invention. is relatedto wellboring apparatus ofthat type primarily for use in the digging of wells, such as in oil and gas operations, where it is necessary to sinlr boring tools to great depth; v

distinguished from the usual type of apparatus referred to the invention aims to provide a unitary structure complete in itself and provided with a suitable motor For effecting the operation 01? the cutting tool, the entire structure being, designed to ment of the primary objects of the ll'lVGntlOll I it will be apparent, as the nature oil: the improvements is better understood, that other objects are also sought to be accomplished,

the invention consisting in the novel fea tures of structure and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and finally pointed out in the appended claims. In this connec-.-

tion it is to be noted that the construction Fig. 2 is an, enlarged horizontal sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig is an elevation on an enlarged scale penetrates the same.

of the drill and rcamers associated there with; and

Fig. 4; is an inverted horizontal sectional view on the line 1-41 of big. 3. Referring now in detail to the accompanymg drawings, the numeral 10 designates a supporting rod having at one of its ends provlsion, such as an eye 11, for the attachment thereto of a suspensory cable 12 by means of which the apparatus is sustained in relation to the well being drilled and removed therefrom on completion of the work or as occasion may require. At the other end of the rod 10 is arranged a head 13, the latter being connected to said rod in any approved manner, to one end of which head 13 is attached. a plurality of guide rods 141:. 'ilhese guide rods extend upwardly from said head 13 and include lower straight portions 15, upper straight portions 16, and intermediate inclined portions 17 which serve to connect the portions 15 and 16. The straight portions 15 and 16 lie parallel with the supporting rod 10, but by reason of the inclination of the intermediate portions 17 the upper portions 16 are spaced farther from the rod 10 than are the portions 15 so as to .contact the walls of the well as the apparatus The portions 16. are relatively long and in their contact with the well walls serve to maintain the. rod 10 parallel therewith and thereby guide the ap-,

paratus in. a straight line as penetration proceeds. The upper ends oi said rods 14? are curved inwardly, as at 18, to insure their freedom oi movement over the well walls when the apparatus is being withdrawn from the well or raised therein, and said straight portions 16 are held. rigidly with respect to the supporting rods 10 by a plurality of at taching arms 19 one 01": which is bolted at its outer end, as at 20,'to the inner face 01": each of the straight portions 16. The inner ends of the arms 19 are curved, as at 21, and

connected by bolts 22, or their equivalents,

to a perforated anchoring plate 23 which surrounds the supporting rod 10. By proper adjustment of the attaching arms 19 with respect to the plate 23, when the bolts 22 are loosened, the portions 16 of the vguide arms 14 may be moved toward or away from the rod 10 to adapt the spacing ofthe portions 16 to varying diameters of wells.

Furthermore, the portions 16 will automatically adjust themselves with respect to the rod 10 if the bolts 22 are permitted to remain somewhat loose and thereby enable the portions 16 to move inwardly and outwardly under difi erent diameters of the cut. In such action of the portions 16 the bolts 22 will act as pivot points thus enabling the plate 23 to rotate partially about the rod 10 to accommodate the movement of the portions 16.

The tool of the herein described apparatus is of the rotary type, as presently will more fully appear, and for its operation a motor. 24 is employed; This is preferably an electric motor, the current therefor being supplied by suitable conductors (not shown) leading from the surface of the ground at bit the entire work ofexcavation.

which point suitable controlling devices will also be located. The motor 2 1 is housed by a casing 25 carried by the end of the head 13 opposite to that to which'the guide rods 14 are connected and properly protecting the motor against the sludge. arising in connec tion with the drilling operation, and operatively related to the armature shaft of said motor, as by a proper coupling capable of effecting disconnection, is an. elongated drill stoclr'26. At'the lower end of the stock 26 I is a bit 27 of any approved form foreifiec t- 30 ing initial penetration of the earth. .By the bit the excavation is started. Its diameter, however. is essentially less than the diameter which it is desired to impart to the well, for

by and fit within transverse slots 30 formed in the stock 26 in which they are held by "astehing wedges 31. This provides for the ready removal of the 182111161'15 when it is desired ,to. substitute different lengths for varying diameters of wells. It will also be noted thatthe alternate reamers are arranged at right angles to the adjacentones, thus affording an equal. distribution on the stock 26 or" strain imposed on the reamers by their contactwitli'the earth. Furthermore, they irogressively' ncrease 111 length from the lowermost one adjacent to'the bit 27 to the topmost reamer. the length of the latter be ing the diameter which it 1s desired ultimatelylto impart to the well:

When horin t deep wells various strata ditfering in degrees of hardness are encountered. In a unitary structure such as herein disclosed theremust. therefore, be provision "for varyiugthe weight for advancing the apparatus, otherwise strata harder than the sure on the apparatus normally.

and being suspended by a cable 33 which tends to the surface of the ground. By this cable suspension the weights exert no pres- \lhen, however, occasion arises for their use the cable 33 is slackened, whereupon the weights successively gravitate, the lowermost weight coming to rest upon the upper end of the head 13, and the uppermost weight becoming seated on the lowermost one. In this manner the requisite additional weight may be supplied to the head 13 to force the bit 27 downwardly and overcome the resistance ofl'ered by the harder strata as they are met.

From the foregoing description the operation and advantages of the herein described invention w'll be readily understood. When it is desired to bore a well the stock 26 is connected to the armature shaft of the motor 2 1, and the apparatus positioned at the point at which it is desired to sink the well. The motor being set in operation. it will be obvious that the initial penetration ot the ground is effected by the bit 27. As penetration progresses the reamcrs 2S sncccssively cut the boring to their several diaineters until the uppermost rcamer Z8 is reached. at which point the greatest diameter of the well is obtained. As the apparatus gradually descends into the cut the straight portions 16 01 the guides 14 come into contact with the walls oi the well and follow the latter, thereby insuring a straight cut to the well as the apparatus gradually progresses in its penetration. It, in the progress of the boring operation, strata be encountered ofiering relatively harder resistance than other strata. the cable 33 is slackened. thereby permitting the weight 32 to descend on to the upper end of the head 13. thus iniposing the added weight of these elements. and enabling the drill to meet the resistance oilered by the harder strata. Yormally. however. the weights 32 are suspended by the cable to tree the structure of the cil'cct thereof.

I claim:

1'. In an apparatus of the class describc l. the combination with a support. of a head connected to said support. a. motor connected to one end of said hea d. a cutting tool as sociated with said motor, and a plurality oi rods connected to the other end of said head for guiding the apparatus as the same pend trates the cut, said guiding rods extending upwardly from said head and sui'rouinlii'ig said support in spaced relation to the latter.

2. In an apparatus oi. the class described. the'combination with a support. of a head connected to said support at one oi its ends. a motor supported by said head, a cutting ing said support in spaced relation to the latter and serving to guide the apparatus as the latter penetrates the cut, and connections between said guide rods and said sup port for holding the free ends of said rods 10 in prope relation to said support.

In an apparatus of, the class described,

the combination with a support, a motor carried thereby, a cutting tool associated with said motor, and means for imposing. increments of weight on the motor.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a support, a motor carried thereby, a cutting tool associated with said motor, and means for imposing progressive increments of Weight on the motor.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a support,a motor carried thereby, a cutting tool associated with said motor, a plurality of weights adapted for cooperation with the motor for effecting penetration of the cutting tool when the latter meets with increased resistance from the material being penetrated, and means for depositing said weights progressively on the motor and its cutting tool to progressively increase the weight thereof.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a support, a motor carried thereby, a cutting tool associated with said motor, a plurality of weights adapted for cooperation with the motor for effecting penetration ofthe cutting tool when the latter meets with increased resistance from the material being penetrated, and connections between said weights whereby the same may be deposited successively on the motor and its cutting tool to progressively increase the weight thereof. 7

7 In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a support, a motor carried. thereby, a cutting tool. associated with said motor, a plurality of weights adapted for cooperation with the motor for effecting penetration of the cutting tool when the latter meets with increased resistance from the 7 material being penetrated, and a flexible supporting means for said welghts whereby the same may be deposited successively on the holding the same at separated points and free from contact with the motor, said weights being deposited successively on the motor and 1ts cutting tool to progressively increase the weight thereof upon the slackein I 10. In an apparatus-of the class described,

the combination with a support, a motor arranged at one end thereof, a cutting tool associated with said motor, a plurality of.

weights surrounding said support and slid able along the same for coeperation with the motor for effecting penetration of the cutting tool when the latter meets with increased resistance from the material being penetrated, and a flexible cable connected to said weights and normally sustaining the samein separated relation with respect to each other to free the weights from contact with the motor, said weights being deposited successively on the motor to progressively increase the weight thereof when said cable is slackened.

11. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a support, of a head connected to one end of said support, a motor connected to one end of said head and supported thereby, a cutting tool associated.

guide the apparatus as the latter penetrates the cut.

12. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a support, of a head connected to one end of said support, a motor supported by said head, a cutting tool as sociated with said motor, and a plurality of guides arranged in radial relation to said support and including parallel portions connected to said head, intermediate inclined portions, and parallel portions offset. with respect to said support at greater spacing therefrom than the first mentioned parallel portions, said offset parallel portions being adapted to contact the walls of the cut and guide the apparatus as the latter penetrates the cut. a

13. In an apparatus of the class described,

' the combination with a support, a motor carried thereby, a cutting tool associated with said motor, means for guiding the apparatus asthe same penetrates the cut, and means for imposing increments of Weight on the motor.

14. In an apparatus of the class described,

the combination with a support, a motor carried thereby, a cutting tool associated with said motor, means for guiding the apparatus as the same penetrates the out, and means for imposing progressive increments of Weight on the motor.

15. In an apparatus of the class described,

' the combination with a support, a motor carspaced portions to said support for holding said portions in'rigi d relation to thesupport.

16. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a support, of a head arranged at one end thereof, a motor carried by said support adjacent to said head, a cutting tool associated with said motor, a plurality of guides mounted at one of their ends on said head, said guides extending in substantial parallelism to said support, an anchoring plate arranged about said support adjacent to the other ends of said guides, and connections between said guides and said anchoring plate.

17. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a support, of a head carried by said support and arranged adjacent one of its ends, a motor carried by said head, a plurality of guide rods mounted at one of their ends on said head and extending in substantial parallelism with said support, an anchoring plate arranged about said support adjacent to the other end of said guide rods, and a plurality of attaching arms arranged between said guide rods and said anchoring plate for connecting the guide rods with said anchoring plate.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two 5111.

scribing witnesses.

THOMAS 1. SlTlll 1\N.

lVitncsses MARY C. Bizownii, WM. Nnvannr UnoirwnLL. 

